Tim Rees may run a cottage agency with a six-figure turnover during the day, but at night goes home to a Mongolian yurt

But how many Welsh managing directors can list periods of contemplative isolation in the deepest Peruvian rainforest, meditating in caves in Northern India and perfecting the art of Nepalese trance drumming on their resumes?

The answer is one – Tim Rees, boss of burgeoning West Wales “glamping” firm Quality Unearthed.

The 28 year old, who set up the company in 2010 as an offshoot of his family’s established Quality Cottages brand, lives in a Mongolian yurt – a circular canvas tent – nestled near the business’ HQ close to St David’s in Pembrokeshire.

When WalesOnline paid a visit, a dreadlocked head popped out through the cloth door: “Come in brother.”

It was clear this wasn’t going to be your average business interview.

Tim’s existence is indeed an unparalleled one.

By day he heads up a multi-million pounds tourism enterprise – he has also been at the helm of Quality Cottages since his father Leonard retired earlier this year – and by night he meditates and practices yoga.

His corporate philosophy was not only hatched in the classrooms of business school, but also from snippets of “enlightenment” picked up while travelling the world from Hindu leaders in northern India, Buddhist elders in Nepal and Ayahuascan healers in Peru.

And when asked how many of his corporate contemporaries shared a similar path into management, his answer was simple: “Not enough.”

Quality Unearthed, which offers a range of “glamping” destinations in Wales and England from tree houses to yurts to gypsy caravans, is a embodiment of its founder’s existence, not least Tim’s three years living in a yurt himself.

“From having lived in these places – like in the jungle in Peru, in caves next to monasteries in India and of course in the yurt now – I felt I had a good insight into the beauty of living like that,” he said.

“The beauty of being that close to nature.”

Quality Unearthed’s growing portfolio of eco-friendly destinations are as unique as Tim’s persona. From the authentic 1920s gypsy caravan in Shropshire’s border country, where owner Nink regales guests with stories of her days performing with the circus, to the off-the-grid cottage in deepest Pembrokeshire where the Rayburn stove harks back to simpler days.

But hippie retreats they are not.

“People say it must be great to go back to nature with Quality Unearthed,” Tim said.

“But I want to go forward to nature. I want to give people the beautiful healing experience of being in nature, but my aspiration has been to combine that experience with comfort so people can enjoy and benefit from it.”

Since taking over as managing director of sister firm Quality Cottages in March, Tim now heads up a cottage agency with a six-figure turnover and more than 300 properties on its books. He is also boss to 30 staff.

But his path into the upper echelons of business was not seamless. Indeed a corporate existence jarred after his years on a spiritual “journey of enlightenment” to every corner of the globe.

“I was worried people were going to think I was a dirty hippie,” he said.

“I wore a three-piece suit for the first three months back in this country working for my dad. I had this image in my mind of what I should be like to be in the work environment.

“Having lived the life I have lived and looking the way I do with long dreadlocks – I didn’t want there to be a negative effect on Quality Cottages or on my father.”

But a eureka moment came a few months later, when addressing a delegation of high-flyers at business conference in Haverfordwest.

He started his speech “Brothers and sisters”.

“People came up to me afterwards and said ‘ thank you for being so honest’,” he said.

“People were responding so very well and I realised the fear that people would take badly to me in business was completely unfounded.

“In fact it was quite the opposite – people have been very good to me on the whole.”

And now his brainchild Quality Unearthed is going from strength to strength and with the summer season approaching another five fanciful destinations have just been added to the portfolio.

“It’s great how well it’s going and I hope a lot more people get pleasure from it in the future,” Tim added.

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